2 ms·

I don't think this qualifies as FUD, nor misinformation. If this is FUD, then all of DefCon is also. This is simply pointing out the onboard capabilities of a d

I don't think this qualifies as FUD, nor misinformation. If this is FUD, then all of DefCon is also. This is simply pointing out the onboard capabilities of a device people are indeed installing in their homes. Clearly this is a microphone-enabled wifi-enabled device. State actors use passive bugs [1] with vastly fewer internal capabilities, so I think it's foolish to discount the possibility that it could be misused. Especially when it's so readily available. Given the use of passive bugs, it's pretty obvious that zero onboard storage is required for a listening device to be useful to those with resources to collect the information real-time. It's healthy to understand the inherent trade-offs you're making by installing such a device, and make sure you can monitor its usage appropriately if you choose to keep one in a place you presume is reasonably private. [1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thing_(listening_device) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thing_(listening_device)

cmdrfred 10y ago
The battery is the limitation here. Sure maybe you record for a day or two even but it simply can't last longer than that.
- freehunter 10y ago
  A Cortex M3 on a single AAA battery can only last a few hours without sleeping. 3.3 volts at 200-300 mA with a 1200 mAh battery doesn't provide much wiggle room.
freehunter 10y ago
"The Thing" is not powered by a battery. The Dash button is. That's the whole difference between active devices like the Dash and passive devices like The Thing. And yes, saying "Dash buttons are secret government wiretaps!" is FUD, no matter how subtly you say it. There's literally a simple way to test: sniff the wire. And people have done that (https://medium.com/@edwardbenson/how-i-hacked-amazon-s-5-wifi-button-to-track-baby-data-794214b0bdd8#.3hx6rzjct https://medium.com/@edwardbenson/how-i-hacked-amazon-s-5-wif...). Spoilers: exactly what you'd expect. I'd also like to see how long you think a WiFi device powered by a single AAA battery would last while streaming voice to the Internet. Conclusion: FUD.

cmdrfred 10y ago

The battery is the limitation here. Sure maybe you record for a day or two even but it simply can't last longer than that.

freehunter 10y ago
A Cortex M3 on a single AAA battery can only last a few hours without sleeping. 3.3 volts at 200-300 mA with a 1200 mAh battery doesn't provide much wiggle room.

freehunter 10y ago

"The Thing" is not powered by a battery. The Dash button is. That's the whole difference between active devices like the Dash and passive devices like The Thing. And yes, saying "Dash buttons are secret government wiretaps!" is FUD, no matter how subtly you say it. There's literally a simple way to test: sniff the wire. And people have done that (https://medium.com/@edwardbenson/how-i-hacked-amazon-s-5-wifi-button-to-track-baby-data-794214b0bdd8#.3hx6rzjct https://medium.com/@edwardbenson/how-i-hacked-amazon-s-5-wif...). Spoilers: exactly what you'd expect. I'd also like to see how long you think a WiFi device powered by a single AAA battery would last while streaming voice to the Internet. Conclusion: FUD.